Funds for Former Presidents

How cruelly absurd can our U.S. government get? This absurd! With our national debt now in astronomical figures and our budgets for millions of poor citizens’ needs being slashed, the U.S. Senate (with four members present as reported in The Times, Part A, Oct. 19) voted $1.8 million for expenses and pensions to be shared by our four ex-presidents, all of whom are multimillionaires.

Just think of it. For this year alone, for Ronald Reagan, $559,000; for Jimmy Carter, $387,800; for Gerald Ford, $426,800, and would you believe $426,700 for Richard Nixon who resigned his office in disgrace. Without question, the 31-year-old law that entitles these ex-presidents to these obscene sums should be repealed or scaled drastically downward. They don’t need these oversized handouts, particularly since we let them live and spend like kings while they served in the palatial White House.

Since this money has already been appropriated, wouldn’t it still be a grand gesture if each of these millionaires would donate these funds to worthwhile causes like the homeless, the fight against drugs and AIDS, and to help the thousands of Bay Area residents who were devastated by the earthquake? In addition, wouldn’t it be humane for Nancy Reagan to donate the $2 million she has received for publishing her book and for Ronnie to donate the $3 million he’s getting for publishing his memoirs to the truly needy? And how about the $2 million more Reagan is getting from the Japanese for going to Japan with all expenses paid to deliver an inconsequential speech.

These folks should be giving, not getting. It’s time some sanity and fairness was applied to our treatment, or should I say mistreatment, of our ex-presidents and I think that time should be right now.

LAWRENCE KANE

Los Angeles